Auxilliary smart power system for ecp equipped train

ABSTRACT

A controlled power system is in a train having electric controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes on cars of the train connected to a trainline which carries electric power and control signals and having at lease one auxiliary device on some of the cars. The power system on a car having the auxiliary device includes a power module connecting the auxiliary device to a source of power when activated; and a first controller, including a transceiver, for activating the power module to the connect the source of power to the auxiliary device in response to a power up signal on the trainline.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Historically, freight trains, and the cars which make up the train, have not been equipped with any source of electrical power. So that auxiliary control and actuation functions, like controls for bottom dump cars, were either mechanical or pneumatic. As a result, those auxiliary systems, like the automatic dumping systems, which synchronized the opening and closing of the car dump gates with position of the car in the dumping station, were complex and costly. In like manner, without a source of electrical power, there was no practical way to provide automatic handbrake release systems for example.

With the introduction of Electric Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) brakes on freight trains, the ECP trainline provides both power and communications to each car of the train. However, because that power and communications are critical for the reliable function of the ECP braking system on the train, it can not be used to power auxiliary functions in an uncontrolled fashion. The impedance of the trainline and the assurance of sufficient power and voltage to each car on the train are both critical. Because a train is made up of a variable number of cars all connected in series, the trainline voltage drop is a function of the number of cars in the train and the instantaneous power consumption of each car.

The American Association of Railroads (AAR) S4200 series specifications require that ECP equipped cars operate with trainline voltages between 100 VDC to 248 VDC. An End of Train (EOT) device, installed on the last car of the train, monitors the trainline voltage and provides communication to the locomotive engineer of the available voltage on the last car. The ECP system diagnostics take appropriate action if the available voltage on the last car is insufficient for safe operation. From the preceding it is clear that power consuming devices cannot be added to the trainline indiscriminately.

The present controlled power system is in a train having electric controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes on cars of the train connected to a trainline which carries electric power and control signals and having at lease one auxiliary device on some of the cars. The power system on a car having the auxiliary device includes a power module connecting the auxiliary device to a source of power when activated; and a first controller, including a transceiver, for activating the power module to connect the source of power to the auxiliary device in response to a power up signal on the trainline.

The source of power may be a converter connected to the trainline which converts the power on the trainline to a power level for the auxiliary device. The ECP brake on the car may include a power line junction box with a second controller which communicates on the trainline and a car control device with a third controller, for the car brake, connected to the junction box. For this configuration, the first controller may be either the second controller or the third controller.

Where the ECP brake on the car includes a battery and a controller, the power source is the battery and the first controller is the controller of the ECP brake. The first controller controls the power module to provide a power source at having a duty cycle of wattage from the battery.

The first controller activates the power module only when the power level on the trainline is within a predetermined range and in response to the power up signal. The first controller may determine the trainline power level at the car. A locomotive controller may determine the trainline power and transmits the power up signal when the trainline power level is within the predetermined range.

The first controller may activate the power module only when the speed of the train is below predetermined speed. The first controller may be optical coupled to the power module. The train includes a processor on the locomotive which may transmit on the trainline the power up signal to the car having the auxiliary device. A wayside station which includes a processor may transmit on the trainline the power up signal to the car having the auxiliary device.

The car may be a dump car and the auxiliary device is actuator of a gate of the dump car. The car may include a hand brake and the auxiliary device is release actuator of the hand brake.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure may be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of the embodiments thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an ECP train with a controlled power system for auxiliary devices according to the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a controlled power system for auxiliary devices wherein the power source is the train line according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a third embodiment of a controlled power system for auxiliary devices wherein the power source is the train line according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To solve this problem, an Auxiliary Smart Power Module or controllable power source for ECP equipped wagons or cars is disclosed. This system firstly includes the Auxiliary Smart Power Module which includes a switchably conditioning circuit connecting an auxiliary device to and powered by the trainline on a car or the battery of Car Control Device (CCD) for the ECP brakes. The Auxiliary Smart Power Module can be controlled by the Smart Car Interface on the CCD, which communicates on the trainline, or can be equipped with a trainline network transceiver and a micro-controller to operate under direct control of the trainline communications system or make decisions based on the communication information on the train line. An example of the CCD is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,950,732.

Secondly, the Auxiliary Smart Power System provides two means to control the Auxiliary Smart Power Module on each car. In the first embodiment, the Trainline Communications Controller (TCC), on the locomotive, can address and control each CCD with an Auxiliary Smart Power Module connected to its Smart Car Interface. If the Auxiliary Smart Power Module is connected to the trainline by a transceiver, it can be addressed and controlled directly. Because each network device on the trainline is individually addressable, the Auxiliary Smart Power Modules can be controlled individually. An example of the TCC is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,759,971.

In a second embodiment for a wayside activated car dumper, the Auxiliary Smart Power Modules (or the CCD connected to the ASPM by the Smart Car Interface) can read the AAR messaging broadcast of the voltage/current level on the trainline and independently determine if power-on conditions are satisfied.

An ECP equipped train 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The train 10 includes a locomotive 12, a last car 14 and cars 16 and 18 electrically connected by a trainline 20. The locomotive 12 includes a Trainline Communications Controller (TCC) 22 which addresses and control each CCD with an Auxiliary Smart Power Module connected to its Smart Car Interface or the Auxiliary Smart Power Module transceiver. A Trainline Power Supply (TPS) 23 in the locomotive 12 is connected to and powers the trainline 20. The last car 14 includes an end of train (EOT) device 24.

Cars 16 and 18 each include a CCD 26 and 28 respectively and a controlled power system 30 and 32 respectively. The controlled power systems 30, 32 are connected to the trainline 20 by lines 36 and the CCDs 26, 28 are connected to the trainline 20 by lines 38 and the terminal block 34 on the car. An example of the terminal block is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,765.

The controlled power system 30 includes an Auxiliary Smart Power Module (ASPM) 40 and a controller with a transceiver 42 connected to the trainline 20 by lines 36A and 36B respectively. The controller 42 is responsive to power up signal on the trainline 20 to activate or connect the ASPM 40 to an auxiliary device connected to the outputs 44 of the ASPM 40. The ASPM 40 converts the power on the trainline 20 to a power level for the auxiliary device.

The controlled power system 32 includes an Auxiliary Smart Power Module 40 connected to the trainline 20 by lines 36A and a control 46 connected to the smart car module or controller 48 in the CCD 28 by line 49. The controller 48 is responsive to power up signal on the trainline 20 via the transceiver in the CCD 28 to activate the control 46 to connect the ASPM 40 to an auxiliary device connected to the outputs 44 of the ASPM 40. The ASPM 40 converts the power on the trainline 20 to a power level for the auxiliary device.

Alternatively, the smart car module or controller may provide a power at output 50 from a battery 52 in the CCD as the controlled power source in lieu of the ASPM 40 and control 46. The output 50 is the sensor port on a CCD as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,950,732.

The conditioning circuit or power supply module ASPM 32, as shown in FIG. 2 for example, includes a full wave bridge 64 to provide controlled polarity, impedance circuits to provide a high impedance match at the communications frequency so as to not degrade the trainline communications, various filters and diodes to isolate the output of the circuit from the trainline. A pair of fuses 60 and inductors 62 connects the bridge 64 to the trainline 20 via wires 36. A switchably controllable, current limited, DC to DC converter 66 provides isolated, regulated power to the output 44 for the auxiliary device.

Preferably the input power to the DC to DC converter 64 in the ASPM 32 is switchably controlled, to minimize the parasitic power consumption of the DC to DC converter 66 in an idle state. The control 46 for the ASPM 32 includes a switch 68, shown as a transistor, controlled by and optically isolated from the CCD 28 and smart car module or controller 48 by optical isolator 70. A photosensitive transistor 72 receives optical power up signals from light emitting diode 74. The power up signal from the smart car module 48 is applied via wire 49 and resistor 76 to the light emitting diode 74.

An example a power management system of trainline power for switchably charging the battery in the CCD is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,562.

The Smart Car Interface or module 48 of the CCD 28 is equipped with an Echelon FTT-10 transceiver which provides communications and a separate low-level power output. Alternatively, the ASPM 30 can be equipped with a trainline network transceiver and a micro-controller 42 to operate under direct control of the trainline communications system. The micro-controller and transceiver 42 can be powered by a separate, low-power DC-DC converter power by the trainline 20, or can be powered by the Smart Car Interface 48 of the CCD 28. Either connection method provides a means for the ECP system to control the operation of the Auxiliary Smart Power Module 30, 32 independently on each car.

In addition to the power from the trainline as the power source of the ASPM, the battery 52 of the CCD may be used and provided at output 52, as shown for CCD 28 in FIG. 1. The present system provides a safe method of using the CCD's battery without jeopardizing the braking function of the CCD. The goal is to provide for example the 12 volts from the battery 52 up to 50 watts.

As a further safety feature when using the CCD's battery as the power source, is a speed interlock. The power up signal or activation of the power source will not be provided if the speed of the train or car is over, for example 10 kilometers per hour.

An example of a controlled power system 30 which is directly controlled by the power line 20 is shown in FIG. 3. The turn on controller 42 is connected to the trainline by wire 36B and is powered by a low voltage supplied to a sensor/sensor control 80 on the car via wires 82. Upon activation of the sensor by the sensor control 80, the sensor control 80 feeds back a signal via line 84 to activate the turn on controller 42.

The EOT 24 communicates the trainline voltage of the last car to the TCC 22 via the AAR network messaging and the Trainline Power Supply (TPS) 23 communicates the trainline current draw to the TCC 12. Thus, the TCC 22 can control the power consumed by the ASPMs 30, 32 on the train to maintain both more than 100VDC at the last car and maximum current output of the TPS 23 below the circuit breaker trip value. For those applications where only a small number of ASPMs would be energized at a given time, for example a wayside activated car dumper, the ASPMs (or the CCD connected to the ASPM by the Smart Car Interface) can read the AAR messaging broadcast of the voltage/current level on the trainline 20 and independently determine if power-on conditions are satisfied.

In each of these ways, the ASPM can be powered on individual cars or on blocks of cars to control the total power consumption on the trainline 20 and to control the voltage drop at the end of the train under control of the ECP system. The ECP brake system always has priority power and is always available, while still providing electrical power for auxiliary devices.

For automatic operation of bottom dump gates on cars, the ASPMs on individual cars could open and close the dump gates in response to a synchronization signal from the wayside as the train incremented over the dumper. Alternatively, because the ECP system knows the location of each car in the train as a result of the AAR S4200 trainline sequencing function, and the locomotive position is known by GPS, the ECP system could sequentially operate the dump gates on each car in the train as it passed over the dumping station, without the need for an external synchronization signal. In either case, only the cars which are positioned over the dumper at a given time would be active and consume power from the trainline 10.

Likewise, if a train is equipped with ECP and each car equipped with the ASPM, then a means can be provided to control and actuate automatic handbrake release on each car. In this instance, an electrically controlled solenoid could provide high pressure air to a small pneumatic actuating cylinder mounted to the hand brake. The pressurization of the cylinder can actuate the release mechanism on the hand brake. The ASPM, alternatively controlled by either the Smart Car Interface on the CCD or directly with a microcontroller and transceiver as previously described, can provide the means to control the automatic hand brake release on the train, via the ECP trainline. By sequentially or serially operating the ASPM to control the automatic handbrake release, the instantaneous power consumed on the trainline 10 can be controlled.

The dump car and the hand brake are just two examples of auxiliary functions, devices or equipment that can be powered and controlled by the Auxiliary Smart Power Module. Other auxiliary functions or equipment may also be powered or controlled.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed by way of example and that other modifications and alterations may occur to those skilled in the art. 

1. In a train having electric controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes on cars of the train connected to a trainline which carries electric power and control signals and having at lease one auxiliary device on some of the cars, a controlled power system on a car having the auxiliary device, the power system comprising: a power module connecting the auxiliary device to a source of power when activated; and a first controller, including a transceiver, for activating the power module to the connect the source of power to the auxiliary device in response to a power up signal on the trainline.
 2. The power system of claim 1, wherein the source of power is a converter connected to the trainline and converting the power on the trainline to a power level for the auxiliary device.
 3. The power system of claim 2, wherein the ECP brake on the car includes a power line junction box with a second controller which communicates on the trainline and includes a car control device with a third controller, for the car brake, connected to the junction box, and the first controller is one of second controller and the third controller.
 4. The power system of claim 1, wherein the ECP brake on the car includes a battery and a controller, the power source is the battery and the first controller is the controller of the ECP brake.
 5. The power system of claim 1, wherein the ECP brake on the car includes a controller and the first controller is the controller of the ECP brake.
 6. The power system of claim 1, wherein the first controller activates the power module only when the power level on the trainline is within a predetermined range and in response to the power up signal.
 7. The power system of claim 6, wherein the first controller determines the trainline power level at the car.
 8. The power system of claim 6, wherein a locomotive controller determines the trainline power and transmits the power up signal when the trainline power level is within the predetermined range.
 9. The power system of claim 1, wherein the first control activates the power module only when the speed of the train is below predetermined speed.
 10. The power system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is optical coupled to the power module.
 11. The power system of claim 1, wherein the train includes a processor on the locomotive which transmits on the trainline the power up signal to the car having the auxiliary device.
 12. The power system of claim 1, including a wayside station which includes a processor which transmits on the trainline the power up signal to the car having the auxiliary device.
 13. The power system of claim 1, wherein the car is a dump car and the auxiliary device is actuator of a gate of the dump car.
 14. The power system of claim 1, wherein the car includes a hand brake and the auxiliary device is release actuator of the hand brake. 